Strongest Hidden Mist Village [134]

Land of Swamps border.

A pair of eerie emerald eyes stared coldly at the ninja in front of him. A guttural roar erupted from his masked face—

"Earth Grudge Fear: Tentacle Fist!"

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of pitch-black threads shot out from the cloaked man, streaking across the battlefield. The moment they struck, they completely impaled the enemy ninja.

The black threads burrowed deep, forcibly ripping out a still-beating heart.

"A fire-natured heart... it's certainly vigorous, but I already have one."

Kakuzu gazed at the pulsing, bloodied organ with a trace of disappointment. Still, he didn't discard it. Instead, he absorbed it into his body, letting Earth Grudge Fear nourish and store it.

"Why'd you have to go that far? He had potential to join us," said a voice.

Sasori stepped forward, tone flat. "It took time to find someone like that. And you just killed him—again. This is the second time now."

"That's not my fault," Kakuzu muttered. "Did you see his head? It was practically begging to be cashed in. The black market was offering five million ryō for it. If you were me, could you hold back?"

"…I'll admit, that is tempting."

Five million ryō—who knows how many puppet materials that could buy. No wonder Kakuzu struck first.

"But seriously—quit this crap. The organization's short on people. You just offed another potential recruit. At this rate, how long do you think it'll take to find you a new partner?!"

"This guy was worth at least three million…" Kakuzu grumbled, pulling out a scroll and sealing the severed head inside without a second thought.

"The boss really should know my personality by now. Every time I see one of these so-called comrades' heads, I just see stacks of ryō walking around. Who could resist that?"

"Then there's Sasori of the Red Sand... Sunagakure has a twenty million ryō bounty on him. If I took him out..."

As if sensing Kakuzu's predatory gaze, Sasori's eyes chilled. He instinctively reached for the scroll at his hip containing the Third Kazekage puppet. Only then did Kakuzu's scorching gaze finally turn away.

Without another word, the two continued toward their next destination. But barely a few minutes had passed when a group of stone soldiers suddenly emerged ahead—armed to the teeth and charging at them.

Kakuzu didn't hesitate. He thrust out a hand, launching a spear-like black thread with explosive force. The golems shattered on impact, crumbling to the ground.

But within seconds, the stone soldiers began to stir—regenerating and rising as though unscathed.

Kakuzu's brow furrowed. He quickly formed hand seals.

"Fire Style: Head-Burning Flame!"

A searing wave of fire erupted, but even engulfed in scorching heat, the golems didn't flinch. No matter the damage, they just kept getting up.

"What the hell…" Sasori muttered.

He raised his arms, threads firing outward to forcibly bind more than a dozen of the advancing puppets.

"If I'm not mistaken... these things are the Ghost Army—created by the legendary demon spirit Mōryō!"

"They're basically the same as puppets," he continued, "but their only real trait... is being truly deathless."

Kakuzu, who was practically a living encyclopedia of the Shinobi World, added grimly, "Back when Takigakure was first founded, the priestess from the Land of Demons made a pact with the village leader. If Mōryō ever rose again, Takigakure was to provide military aid. I always thought it was just a myth... but to think Mōryō really exists."

"So you're saying… these things are moving because Mōryō has awakened?"

"That's the most likely explanation."

Kakuzu looked at the stone soldiers with undisguised contempt. He far preferred living prey—fresh hearts powered his Earth Grudge Fear, and heads could always be sold for a tidy profit. These mindless, stone-formed ghosts were worthless in every way. No profit. No pulse. Just dead weight.

"Let's go. We'll cash in this last head, and head to our next location. Now that Mōryō's on the move, this region is about to turn into a battleground for every major power in the Shinobi World."

"…Right."

Sasori's gaze lingered on the stone soldiers. With a distracted nod, he followed Kakuzu.

They arrived at a nearby bounty station, turned in the head, and counted the cash. Kakuzu stepped outside—only to freeze mid-stride.

Both men looked up toward the forest's edge.

A sharp-faced man with shark-like features darted between the trees, heading straight for them.

"…That's him."

"A Jōnin from Kirigakure. Hoshigaki Kisame. His head's worth eight million ryō!" Kakuzu's eyes lit up like a man who'd struck gold, his gaze quickly shifting to the massive blade strapped to Kisame's back.

"Is that Samehada, one of the Seven Ninja Swords? Hah! A sword like that goes for five million ryō on the market. Today must be my lucky day!"

"Sasori, let's go."

Just as Kisame was pulling back to disengage, his steps suddenly halted.

A black tendril shot past his face, grazing his cheek and leaving a thin red line. Immediately after, hundreds of black threads exploded toward him like a net—seeking to entangle him in some perverse, inescapable bind.

Kisame swung Samehada, cleaving the threads apart. Leaping high into the air, he landed with a solid thud and narrowed his eyes at the two robed figures before him—black cloaks adorned with ominous red clouds.

"That outfit… You're Akatsuki."

"You know us?" Kakuzu smirked. "As expected of someone from the Hidden Mist."

His expression was full of greed—not seeing Kisame as a man, but a walking treasure chest.

And rightfully so.

After Yuki Yoru had single-handedly led Kirigakure to crush Konohagakure and assumed the mantle of Fourth Mizukage, his bounty had soared to an unprecedented 300 million ryō on the black market.

To put it in perspective: this was right after the Third Great Ninja War, when the economy hadn't yet inflated. Even a future Six-Tails Jinchūriki would only be valued at fifty million at best. Not even a Kage typically exceeded one hundred million.

Three hundred million ryō? That was enough to make Kakuzu hug his wanted poster to sleep, grinning like a pervert on countless nights.

Too bad… Yuki Yoru was far too dangerous. All Kakuzu could do was fantasize.

But Hoshigaki Kisame? He was fair game.

"Sasori—cover me. I'm taking him down. Extra course for tonight, and we've got plenty of lube!"

"…Fine."

Sasori's eyes lit up slightly, his earlier boredom replaced with quiet anticipation. Without another word, he summoned his puppet—Third Kazekage, his prized masterpiece.

The moment crackled with tension. The fight was about to erupt.

Without delay, Kakuzu tore off his Akatsuki cloak, forming hand seals. Earth erupted around him—

"Earth Release: Earth Spear!"

Simultaneously, two masks on his shoulders flew off, unraveling thousands of black threads. The threads twisted and writhed, forming two monstrous shapes—one exhaled gale-force winds, the other spewed blazing fire.

Wind feeds fire. Fire rides the wind.

"Fire Style: Head-Burning Flame!"

"Wind Style: Pressure Damage!"

"Combined Elemental Ninjutsu: Blazing Wind Assault!"

A maelstrom of wind and flame surged toward Kisame, roaring like a demon's scream.

Eyes sharp, Kisame formed hand seals in a flash, unleashing a surge of churning water from his mouth.

The water swirled, forming a prison-like sphere around him—a Water Prison Technique, reinforced by high-pressure streams.

The jutsu fully enclosed him, allowing him to perfectly protect himself from the ninjutsu's impact.

"Water Prison, huh… pretty clever."

Though it was only a C-rank Water Release technique, in the hands of a true master of Water Style, it could become something far more deadly.

Sasori's eyes flickered with surprise. Even he had to admit—it was a smart move.

But Kakuzu sneered.

"Trapping yourself? You've woven your own cocoon."

Let's see you survive when I shatter it and take your head.

He charged forward, twin arms releasing torrents of black threads. Yet instead of striking, he held back. From his body emerged another Earth Grudge Fear monster—this one crackling with lightning.

The creature's mouth opened—launching a razor-sharp spear of electricity.

"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"

Water Prison had superb defensive properties, but its fatal flaw was clear: it amplified damage from Lightning Style attacks.

Kakuzu had planned for this. The moment he pierced the sphere, he'd rush in with close-range attacks to finish Kisame off.

Sasori narrowed his eyes approvingly.

Not bad—for the man who once faced the First Hokage and lived.

But what happened next stunned them both.

Kisame didn't react much at all. Inside the sphere, he simply raised Samehada in front of him.

The incoming False Darkness accurately struck the Water Prison. But before the terrifying lightning strike, capable of piercing giant boulders, could fully detonate, Samehada gobbled it up completely with a series of gurgles.

"W-What?!"

"So that's Samehada… truly incredible."

Kakuzu's eyes gleamed. He wasn't so sure he wanted to sell the blade anymore—he wanted to keep it.

But Kisame remained calm. His eyes drifted between Kakuzu and Sasori, analyzing the situation carefully.

The Fourth Mizukage had issued intel to every elite shinobi in the Mist—warning of high-threat targets.

Kakuzu—the immortal shinobi of Takigakure who once clashed with the First Hokage. He wielded all five elemental chakra natures through Earth Grudge Fear. To kill him, all five hearts—five masks—had to be destroyed.

Dangerous, but manageable.

The true problem?

Sasori of the Red Sand.

A former genius puppeteer of Sunagakure who assassinated the Third Kazekage and defected. According to intelligence, he wielded top-tier puppet techniques, potent poisons, and possessed a human puppet made from the Kazekage himself.

That was the real threat.

Kisame's eyes remained steady. He had Water Prison. He had Samehada. Against Kakuzu, he could hold his own.

But Sasori? With control over Magnet Release—the elemental counter to Water Style—he was a far more lethal match.

Still… Kisame remained composed.

"You from Iwagakure or something? Where's that famed Mist-style silent killing technique? That elite Water Release you people love to brag about?"

"Is this what Mist Village has become under Yuki Yoru's reign? Cowards like you have sullied the name of the Blood Mist!"

Kakuzu hurled more ninjutsu, but none found their mark. Kisame remained behind his watery shield, calm and untouchable.

It was Kakuzu who started to crack—treating Kisame like a helpless fish on a cutting board, yet unable to land a blow.

But Kisame paid no attention to the insults.

A shinobi must endure. If I can't even ignore this kind of taunts, what kind of ninja would I be?

His Water Prison stood firm. From time to time, Samehada snaked out to absorb Kakuzu's chakra attacks. Slowly but surely, Kakuzu was forced to back off, realizing brute force wasn't going to cut it.

"You need help?" Sasori asked coolly.

"No," Kakuzu growled. "He's just a cornered beast."

"Kakuzu."

"I said I don't need—"

"Look around."

Sasori's voice was heavy.

"We've got a serious problem."

Without them noticing, the surrounding forest had grown deathly still.

From every direction, stone soldiers emerged—an uncountable mass of armed figures stepping through the underbrush with synchronized, unnatural precision. They bore weapons, yet not a hint of life in their eyes.

Thousands upon thousands.

A tide of lifeless soldiers, completely encircling the trio.

"So they were drawn here after all," Kisame muttered, lips curling into a faint grin.

This location wasn't far from the chakra source Samehada had detected, perhaps only a few kilometers. And along the way, Kisame had discovered that these stone soldiers seemed to be specifically targeting him; the closer he got to that chakra signal, the more interested these puppet soldiers became in him, and the more that pursued him.

Clearly, his plan to attract attention and help Ayako and the others escape had succeeded. And, by sheer coincidence, he had dragged two Akatsuki members into the mix!

Kakuzu and Sasori's expressions were grim, but at this moment, they understood that they had no choice but to fight.

Black threads burst from Kakuzu's arms, joints, and even his mouth—thousands of Earth Grudge Fear cords writhing through the air like serpents.

His chakra surged. Killing intent rolled across the battlefield.

Sasori pulled out a scroll, summoning the Third Kazekage human puppet, with fine iron sand swirling around its body.

"Looks like we're fighting together... against the Ghost Army," Sasori said flatly.

Inside the Water Prison, Kisame grinned, baring his signature shark-like teeth.

He actively released the Water Prison Jutsu, quickly forming hand seals and spouting water like a giant wave onto the ground, creating a terrain advantage.

A second later, the clash began.

The Ghost Army collided with the three shinobi in a violent wave.

High above, a new figure arrived—Hōzuki Gengetsu, cloaked in a pale white haori, his voice laced with a lazy drawl.

"Well, this is turning into quite the party…"

He smacked his lips as he looked down on the chaos.

"They're all decent fighters, huh? I'll let them keep things busy for a bit… while I gather intel on Mōryō."

His golden eyes turned toward the distant volcanic ridge.

"That chakra signature… it's coming from inside that volcano."

Gengetsu vanished in an instant.

In mere moments, he stood at the entrance to the volcano itself.

Outside, more stone soldiers kept watch—along with several living shinobi, strangely positioned like guards. Gengetsu raised an eyebrow.

"Humans… protecting a demon?"

Traitors to humanity?

He didn't bother confronting them. Slipping past like a ghost, he descended silently into the mountain's heart.

The volcano's interior was a hellish landscape—rivers of molten lava illuminated the cavern in an angry red hue.

And within it… floated a monstrous presence.

A massive, snake-like beast moved slowly through the magma, scales glowing like hot metal, exuding an aura of ancient malice.

Mōryō.

"…That power—it's comparable to a Tailed Beast," Gengetsu whispered, his smile fading.

According to intel from Yuki Yoru, this wasn't even Mōryō's full strength.

It wasn't complete.

Only when it recovered its lost soul—and devoured the shrine priestess guarding it—would Mōryō reach full power.

No wonder the Fourth Mizukage was taking it seriously.

This wasn't just a demon—it was a potential immortal threat.

Inside the chamber, a shinobi fell to his knees.

Yomi, high priest of Mōryō's cult, shouted with desperation:

"Lord Mōryō, those shinobi outside—they're far stronger than we imagined! Even your stone soldier can't stop them!"

His voice cracked.

All the arrogance he once held, thinking the power Mōryō had granted him made him invincible? Gone.

He now doubted whether he was even stronger than a regular Jōnin from any of the Five Great Nations.

Mōryō growled, voice rumbling like a landslide:

"Wretched shinobi scum…"

His serpentine neck writhed in frustration. Even he could feel the pressure now.

"I only intended to borrow a temporary vessel—but it seems I'll have to recover my soul ahead of schedule."

"Yomi! I will fuse with your body. We're heading for the Land of Demons—to the Shrine of the Priestess!"

"Yes, Lord Mōryō!"

Yomi nodded fervently. He paused, then reached for two surgical scalpels and—without hesitation—sliced open his own abdomen.

Oddly, no blood flowed. The act resembled cutting into a bag—not a body.

"Lord Mōryō, I've mastered Dark Medical Ninjutsu. Please… enter my body."

"Well done, Yomi. You truly are someone I value

Mōryō released a hideous laugh and surged into Yomi's body in one fluid motion.

Yomi's body trembled violently—shuddering and convulsing like something far too massive had forced its way inside.

Watching this grotesque fusion, Gengetsu hesitated.

He considered striking now—stopping the possession.

But a familiar voice echoed in his mind:

"Wait."

It was Yuki Yoru.

"Let them go to the Land of Demons. I want to see what the 'complete' Mōryō really looks like."

"Eh? Are you serious, Fourth Mizukage? What if it turns into a full-blown disaster?"

"…Then that's exactly what we need."

The calm, collected voice sent a chill down Gengetsu Hōzuki's spine, and he understood Yoru's intentions.

"You stay and watch over Kakuzu and Sasori. Protect Kisame. I'll go to the Land of Demons myself."

"Understood!"

Below, Mōryō completely burrowed into Yomi's body. Yomi then became a 'Mōryō Jinchūriki' and departed the volcano, heading straight for the Land of Demons.

Kirigakure – Hidden Mist Village.

Yoru, clad in the Fourth Mizukage's ceremonial robes, appeared in Yukiko's Kekkei Genkai Research Lab .

Upon entering, he saw Yukiko—her red eyes open wide—in a pristine white lab coat, tinkering with beakers and test tubes. Even the clinical coat couldn't hide her shapely figure; with her fair skin and cool, beautiful features, she was the epitome of a top-tier research genius.

"Is something wrong, Lord Yoru?" Yukiko asked, noting his gaze with a look of gentle concern.

"Nothing. I'm just here to switch Gigai," Yoru replied casually. "How's the research progressing?"

Yukiko's eyes sparked as she offered an update:

"I'm currently analyzing the Curse Seal Orochimaru set on Anko. I've uncovered some fascinating results."

She explained: "This so-called Curse Seal forcibly implants natural energy into the body—a highly dangerous process nearly no one survives. But Anko's luck—and compatibility—were off the charts. She not only survived, but can tap into that energy... almost like a simplified Sage Mode."

With excitement, Yukiko continued, "It's still a crude prototype, but conceptually, it's revolutionary. Reproducing it safely will take time—but thanks to Hiromi's natural energy research and samples from the White Zetsu cells, we now have the means to refine it quickly."

AND

Yukiko smiled

"Show me," he replied.

Led by Yukiko, Yoru inspected a row of sleek, sealed Gigai-capsules. These modified Gigai—besides housing Yoru's soul flawlessly—had been enhanced through bio-experiments. Even Yoru barely remembered each variant.

Yukiko described them:

Unit One: an Uchiha-based Gigai with dual Mangekyō Sharingan—Kamui and Kotoamatsukami—encased inside.

Unit Two: fused with First Hokage cells and Hiromi's Uzumaki lineage—capable of limited Wood Release and possessing exceptional vitality.

Unit Three: built on a Kaguya-clan chassis and infused with Hyūga DNA. No Byakugan, but the Shikotsumyaku (Dead-Bone Pulse) has been greatly enhanced.

PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin